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The fourth week of Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ sex-trafficking trial featured dramatic testimony about the rap mogul dangling a woman from a 17th-floor balcony and buying damning surveillance footage with $100,000 in cash in a paper bag, while a former girlfriend using the pseudonym “Jane” got emotional on the witness stand as she described being forced to participate in marathon “freak-offs.”
Combs is accused of using violence, money and blackmail to force women to participate in elaborate, drug-fueled sex shows called “freak-offs” — charges that Combs denies, saying his sex parties were consensual. Federal prosecutors have been presenting the case to a jury in New York since early May.
The trial’s fourth week began on Monday (June 2) with the cross-examination of Combs’ former assistant, who’s using the pseudonym “Mia” in the trial. Mia testified that Combs sexually assaulted her numerous times during her employment, according to reporting from the New York Times.
On Tuesday (June 3), a security officer at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles told the jury that Combs gave him a brown paper bag full of $100,000 in cash in exchange for now-infamous surveillance footage of the rapper violently beating his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. That video is a centerpiece of the prosecution’s case against Combs.
“He said not to make any big purchases,” testified the security officer, Eddy Garcia, according to the Times.
Prosecutors will likely point to Garcia’s testimony to back their claim that Combs used money and the power of his businesses to obstruct justice, a central piece of their racketeering conspiracy charge, while Team Combs has said he was merely trying to prevent bad publicity in buying the footage.
Wednesday (June 4) brought more dramatic testimony, this time from Ventura’s friend Bryana Bongolan. Bongolan alleged that Combs dangled her from the 17th-floor balcony of Ventura’s apartment in 2016, an incident that Ventura previously chronicled in her civil lawsuit that sparked Combs’ downfall.
“I have night terrors and paranoia and scream in my sleep at times,” Bongolan testified about the lasting psychological impact of that night, according to CNN.
Bongolan also told the jury that she once witnessed Combs throwing a knife at Ventura, who gave lengthy testimony at the beginning of the trial about years of alleged abuse. Another time, Bongolan said, Combs threatened her life at a photoshoot.
“He came up really close to my face and said something around the lines of, ‘I’m the devil and I could kill you,’” Bongolan said.
Jurors spent the bulk of both Thursday and Friday (June 5 and June 6) hearing from an anonymous former girlfriend of Combs using the pseudonym “Jane,” the Washington Post reports. In emotional and at times tear-filled testimony, Jane said she felt obligated to participate in Combs’ freak-offs because he paid her rent and other bills.
The jury also watched videos of the freak-offs, in which Jane said Combs forced her to have sex with multiple male escorts over the course of more than 24 hours at a time. She said Combs rejected her requests to use condoms and wouldn’t let her take breaks when she was in pain.
Jane’s testimony often mirrored that of Ventura; notably, both women claimed that Combs coerced them into performing sex acts that the rapper’s defense lawyers insist were consensual. This came through in text messages between Jane and Combs that were entered into evidence.
“I don’t want to play this role in your life anymore. It’s dark, sleazy and makes me feel disgusted with myself,” wrote Jane in one message. “I don’t want to feel obligated to perform these nights with you in fear of losing the roof over my head.”
“Girl stop,” Combs replied.
Jane is set to return to court on Monday (June 9) for more testimony. The trial is scheduled to continue for up to another month.
Twenty years after earning his first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, Chris Brown is still racking up the accolades.
Hard work continues to pay off for Breezy, who earned another 21 certifications from the RIAA on Friday (June 6), adding to his loaded trophy case. CB picked up the plaques for “Loyal” and “Forever” (both 8x platinum), “Kiss Kiss” and “Go Crazy” (both 6x platinum), and “New Flame” and “Deuces,” both of which reached 4x-platinum status.
Other cuts notching certifications include “Back to Sleep,” “Don’t Wake Me Up,” “Grass Ain’t Greener,” “Don’t Judge Me,” “Next to You,” “Residuals,” “No BS,” “Drunk Texting,” “Hope You Do,” “Beg for It,” “Who’s Gonna,” “Till I Die,” “2012,” “Should’ve Kissed You” and “City Girls.”
The boatload of plaques on the way comes a month after Chris Brown picked up his third diamond plaque for “Look at Me Now” featuring Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes; the good news coincidentally came on his 36th birthday (May 5).
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(The Recording Industry Association of America issues diamond certification to singles that have moved 10 million units in the United States.)
It’s a busy time for Brown, who is gearing up to hit the road for the Breezy Bowl XX stadium tour, which kicks off Sunday in Amsterdam. Following the completion of the European leg, Brown will head Stateside with the first U.S. date on the calendar for July 30 in Miami.
Brown ran into legal trouble in May, which nearly derailed his European tour plans. The singer was arrested in the U.K. on May 15 on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.” The charges were tied to an alleged London nightclub assault in February 2023.
After initially being denied bail, CB secured bond on a lucrative $6.7 million bail package on May 21, putting his touring plans back on track.
Watch Chris Brown run through a highlight reel celebrating all of his No. 1 hits over the years below.
No bad blood here. Leah Remini addressed the status of her friendship with Jennifer Lopez in a new interview this week. The Flight Risk actress told Us Weekly that she reconnected with her longtime friend after the superstar’s highly publicized split from Ben Affleck and her own divorce from ex-husband Angelo Pagán after more than […]
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JBL just tapped Benson Boone as its newest global brand ambassador. The breakout singer/songwriter pairing with the music and gaming tech brand is pretty much the perfect match, given both are committed to all things sound, culture and connection.
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To make the partnership official, Boone went out to surprise fans outside of JBL’s SoHo store before taking the stage at the 2025 Governors Ball. The “Beautiful Things” singer pulled up in a vintage convertible car blasting tracks from his album American Heart before handing out custom JBL Flip 7s from the trunk.
This exciting partnership will feature exclusive content drops, behind-the-scenes moments and live activations designed to bring fans closer to Boone and his music through JBL. In honor of Boone and JBL’s partnership, we’re rounding up a few of our favorite music and gaming tech from JBL, sharing the best of the best for fans of Boone and beyond.
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JBL Go 4 Speaker
$39.95
$49.95
20% off
A portable mini speaker in green and gray with powerful base.
Don’t you wish you could take your music with you everywhere? Well, now you can. Retailing for $39.95, JBL’s Go 4 Speaker is a tiny but mighty speaker situated in a compact rectangular shape in shades of gray and green. The speaker is portable and packs a major punch with base you can feel. This little guy boasts up to seven hours of playtime on a single charge.
It also comes with Playtime Boost which allows for up to two extra hours of jamming by prolonging the battery life. Not only does the speaker change color, but it’s also waterproof so you can take it to the beach or pool without fear of having it fizzle out. If the available colors don’t tickle your fancy, you can also make a custom Go 4 with a base design of your choosing.
JBL Quantum Stream Studio Mic
$99.95
$149.95
33% off
A gaming and podcasting speaker.
If you’re planning to stream video games or starting a podcast (as if we need any more) then this mic is for you. Retailing for a marked-down price of $99.95, this studio mic is a steal. The crisp sound is all thanks to three lightweight, fast-moving, and sensitive (-37dB) 14mm cardioid condenser mics, all with a wide and flat frequency range (50~16kHz).
You’ll get studio-quality sound every time. With a click of a single button, you can quickly change between four voice-pickup patterns, cardioid, bi-directional, stereo and omnidirectional which are all utilized for different set-ups and scenarios. There’s also a tap-to-mute button that you can quickly touch if you feel an awkward sneeze coming on mid-stream. This mic truly has it all.
JBL Spinner BT
A black and orange record player.
Play records like a pro with JBL’s Spinner BT, a sleek, retro-inspired record player that comes in two colorways, black and orange and black and gold. The Spinner BT is Bluetooth compatible and features a high-quality aluminum tonearm that ensures excellent tracking of the record groove without damaging your precious vinyl. Plus the design is gorgeous. We like the black and orange model for the beautiful contrast in hues. This makes for a great gift for that hipster music nerd in your life.
JBL Junior 470NC
Over-the-ear headphones with gray, white and orange accents.
JBL’s Junior 470NC is an exceptional piece of music tech for kids. Easy to use and safe to boot, these over-the-ear headphones feature a controlled safe volume designed to never exceed 85dB so kids can listen to “Baby Shark” with the highest sound quality without damaging their precious eardrums. Parents can also customize hearing protection settings by limiting both maximum volume and daily listening time. These headphones can also be synced to the JBL Headphones app so you can monitor your child’s listening, and at what volume.
JBL PartyBox Stage 320
A rolling light-up speaker with a handle.
This portable speaker is bold and bigger than ever, providing music lovers with impeccable sound quality they can bring on the go. Retailing for a marked-down price of $549.95, the PartyBox Stage 320 brings the party anywhere thanks to the wheel attachments and telescope handle that functions similarly to a suitcase. The speaker includes a built-in light show with effects like starry lights, cool light trails and a strobe that all flash to the beat of the song playing. The speakers are also equipped with two 6.5″ woofers that deliver clean and precise deep bass no matter the volume.
DDG is feeling the pressures of fame as he and his former partner Halle Bailey find themselves in the middle of a custody battle. The rapper and streamer took to X on Thursday to vent his frustrations and compared himself to the King of Pop, writing: “Now I know how Michael Jackson felt being famous.. […]
Contemporary Christian Music group Newsboys responded to recent allegations of sexual assault and drug use against former lead singer Michael Tait, who abruptly stepped away from the group in January.
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On Wednesday, The Roys Report published what it referred to as a two-and-a-half-year investigation into allegations against Tait. The outlet claims it spoke with more than 50 sources, including three people who claim that Tait groomed and sexually assaulted them while touring or at Tait’s home. The accusers allege that the incidents took place between 2004 and 2014. Multiple people in the report also claimed that Tait was involved in drug use.
In an Instagram post on Thursday, the group’s four current members — Jeff Frankenstein, Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips and Adam Agee — responded to the allegations, writing, “Last night our hearts were shattered when we read the news alleging drug abuse and inappropriate sexual actions by our former lead singer, Michael Tait. While Michael has not addressed these allegations, we are devastated by even the implications.
“First and foremost, our hearts are with the victims who have bravely shared their stories,” the band’s message continued. “If you are a victim, we urge you to come forward. We absolutely do not condone any form of sexual assault. The four of us are husbands and fathers. Between the four of us, we have fourteen children. Our wives and children have made many sacrifices while we have dedicated our lives to playing music together that glorifies God. We are horrified, heartbroken and angry at this report and in many ways, we feel as if we and our families have been deceived for the past fifteen years.”
Tait has not released a public response to the allegations contained in the report, and Billboard has not yet successfully reached him or a representative. A Newsboys rep did not respond to comment beyond the band’s statement.
Tait stepped down from his role in Newsboys in January just days before the group launched the second leg of their Worldwide Revival Nights Tour. At the time, Tait issued a statement, saying, “I have made for me what is a monumental and heartfelt decision that it is time to step down from Newsboys. This decision does not come lightly and has been a shock to even myself, but amidst prayer and fasting, I have clarity that this is the right decision.” He joined Newsboys as their lead singer in 2009 following the exit of Peter Furler.
Tait is also known for his founding role in the groundbreaking CCM group DC Talk from 1988-2001. That group, which also included TobyMac and Kevin Max, had such hits as “Jesus Freak,” “What If I Stumble?” and the Billboard Hot 100 hit “Between You and Me.” Their 1995 album Jesus Freak, with its pop and hip-hop fusions, reached No. 16 on the all-genre Billboard 200 and won a Grammy for best rock gospel album. In 2000, the band went on hiatus, and Tait launched a decadelong solo career before joining Newsboys.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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In court on Thursday, a woman going by the name “Jane” said she felt pressured to do sexual things with escorts while music star Diddy watched, because he was paying her $10,000-a-month rent.
According to Complex, Jane said things started off great in early 2021, with fancy hotel stays, tropical vacations, and a lot of partying, including taking Ecstasy. By May, she said Diddy asked her to sleep with other men while he watched. They called these nights “debauchery” or “hotel nights.”
She said the first time it happened was at a hotel in Miami. An escort showed up, and even though she wasn’t totally okay with it, she went along because “my partner was excited, and it was already happening.” When she asked the escort to use a condom, Jane said Diddy told her it wasn’t needed because “they get tested all the time, they’re some of the cleanest people.”
That night changed everything, she told the court. “It opened a Pandora’s Box in our relationship, it was a door that I was unable to shut.” Jane explained that because Diddy was paying for her rent and lifestyle, she felt stuck and like she had to go along with what he wanted, even if she didn’t really want to.
Her testimony is part of a bigger case accusing Diddy of serious crimes like sex trafficking and abuse. Diddy has said he didn’t do anything wrong, and the trial is still going.
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Weather forecasts can be fun. Meteorologist Adam Krueger has become known as Weather Adam for his shrewd ability to incorporate song lyrics into his energetic weather reports. On Friday (June 6), Weather Adam took it back to 2013 while paying homage to Eminem and flipping “Rap God” into his weekend forecast for Los Angeles. “It’s […]
JoJo Siwa wasn’t looking to find love on Celebrity Big Brother UK, but she did. And now that she and co-star Chris Hughes are officially dating, the dancer is opening up about how she realized he was the one for her.
Speaking to Gyles Brandreth on an episode of his Rosebud podcast posted Thursday, Siwa began by saying that “serendipity is Christopher and I’s favorite word now,” because “if you read the definition of it, it’s essentially finding love when you’re least looking for it.”
The Dance Moms alum went on to explain how her romance with the Love Island alum — the first few weeks of which played out in front of countless viewers as they both starred on the reality program’s 24th season — is the model of serendipity. “We just kind of bonded right away, and it started very much so as friends,” she explained, noting that the first things she noticed about her now-boyfriend was that he smelled good and was a “good hugger.”
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“I wasn’t looking to fall for him, he wasn’t looking to fall for me,” she continued. “We’re having so much fun together, we’re having a laugh together. Whenever one of us was down, it was the other one that helped.”
Siwa and Hughes’ relationship is arguably the most memorable part of this Big Brother season, even though the couple didn’t get together until after it was over. While she was on the show, the “Karma” singer was dating Kath Ebbs, but they parted ways at the TV show’s wrap party.
On the podcast, Siwa appeared to touch on the breakup, telling Brandreth, “I had all these realizations in my life, things that I wasn’t happy [with], and things that I was being OK with that I should never have been OK with.
“I’m not happy, so I need to handle things, and I did very quickly once I got out of the house,” she added. “Over a little bit of time, I realized that I started to feel something for Christopher that I never intended to, but I couldn’t not feel. And I’m a very, very lucky girl because he was feeling the same thing.”
The interview comes just a few days after Hughes shared an intimate selfie of himself and Siwa cuddling in bed, after which the dancer told The Guardian newspaper, “It’s not platonic anymore, and it’s been a beautiful development, a beautiful connection, and I’m absolutely head-over-heels for him and he’s the same way.”
Siwa later gushed about her relationship in an interview with Billboard, also telling Tetris Kelly about what it’s been like to navigate a public relationship while identifying as queer. “It’s really hard because people tear it apart,” she said. “I’ve dated beautiful women, I’ve dated beautiful nonbinary people, I have dated men… but I realize that’s just who I am. I realize for myself that I just like humans.”
Mariah Carey is teasing MC16 with her dangerously hot new track in years “Type Dangerous.” Anderson .Paak shares what it was like to work with the queen, and how Mariah celebrated her new single. What do you think of “Type Dangerous”? Let us know in the comments! Anderson .Paak: Shout-out to the Queen, Mariah Carey. […]
